I Like Me Better When I'm With You
by The Lil' Lion
Summary: AU: Thalia receives a letter from the now-dead Luke between The Lost Hero and The Last Olympian. Even though she's over Luke, memories of the feelings she had resurface.


**This is based off of the Lauv song "I Like Me Better"**

**Disclaimer: I do not own PJO or HoO**

Luke was gone. He wasn't coming back. Ever. Thalia wished she didn't feel so sad about this but… the carefully crafted relationship they had before was great. It hurt her to think that maybe… maybe in another life, they would have been together. Even if she was a hunter.

It hurts to say this, but she sort of wished that Luke was alive. That he hadn't sacrificed himself. But that was hopeless. He betrayed everyone and she should be mad. Even if he died a hero.

The hunters had set down a camp when she saw the parcel. It was carefully wrapped in paper with a single red bow around it. No name was on it. It looked suspicious, but she opened it. Within it, was a single paged letter- handwritten from someone unnamed. It was addressed to her.

She began to read. What use was it to just let it sit there? Someone out there, alive or dead was writing something. Something meant to be read. With that, she began reading.

_Thalia,_

_If you are reading this, I'm dead. You probably don't know who I am yet, but soon, soon you'll know. _

_We met years ago saving a friend. Even then, I knew that maybe one day we would be together. But then you turned into a tree. I was heartbroken. _

Thalia stopped. It was from him. Luke. She didn't need a signature to know now. Why would Luke send her a letter? Of all people, why not Annabeth? She kept reading.

_See, now you probably know who I am. Either way, I wanted you to know that even from that age I knew I loved you. _

_One thing I really want to say is… I'm sorry. I betrayed camp, I betrayed you and look where it got me. Into Tartarus. Or if I was any good, I realized at the end I betrayed you all and helped save Olympus. Then maybe I'll be in the Elysium. Isle's of the Blest, right? _

_Yeah. So I just want to tell you why. You probably know Kronos's version of "why", but not mine. So here it is._

_You know how my mom was. She wanted to be the oracle. That didn't work so well. And now she's… crazy, I guess that's the only word you can use to describe it. Dear old dad never came around so it was just me and her. And Thalia, I loved her, you have to know that, so much. But when it came to keeping her there- and making sure she was well, I guess I choose a place that I knew could control me over her. _

_That may seem cruel, but it's true. In fact, I'm glad I made that decision. I met you. _

_Hermes never came. Mom may have thought she would, but I'd never seen him until… well you know. I was mad. I wanted to see my dad, to not be in the dark about what was happening. I wanted to actually do something about, about all the unclaimed kids in the Hermes Cabin. _

_So years later, when I met Percy, and stole the lightning, I knew this was what was going to make all those kids free. Or so I thought. Percy is a better guy than I've ever been. I know that. But the thing is, when I was around him- Kronos I was always my worst self. _

_I just wanted to tell you one thing. Even if I'm dead, I want you to know this, always._

_I like me better when I'm with you._

_Love,_

_Luke C_

A single tear went down her face. Thalia put the letter down just as a small object rolled out. It was a sword tip. Thalia realized this as soon as the saw it. But the last thing she noticed was that it was Luke's.

She smiled, knowing that even if Luke was dead, a part of him was with her. He was probably the first and last boy she would ever love. Even so, she gave up on Male's awhile ago. Maybe Luke was different at first, but now he was dead. She wanted to tell Luke one last thing. She wanted to let him know that she had loved him.

"I like me better when I'm with you too Luke." She said quietly to herself. Life went on, but Luke would still be a big part of her. Forever.

**Thanks **


End file.
